


Two Dudes Going to Prom

by Cyan (vehicroids)



Category: South Park
Genre: Clyde is useless, First Date, M/M, Mutual Pining, Prom, Slow Dancing, Smoking, Tags Are Hard, alcohol mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-30 00:31:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15085115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vehicroids/pseuds/Cyan
Summary: "Do you wanna go to prom with me?"The question slipped out before Clyde had a chance to think about it. He kind of wanted to die the moment the sentence passed his lips.





	Two Dudes Going to Prom

“Do you wanna go to prom with me?”

The words were uttered before Clyde gave himself a moment to think about them. The friend group had just been discussing prom - Craig and Tweek were going together, Jimmy supposedly had his eye on someone - and the question just spilled from his mouth. The whole table was started, all eyes on Clyde.

He could have played it as a joke, patted Token’s shoulder and moved on. But the window he could have done that in had closed, and Clyde was frozen in the headlights that were Token's stare. The other three watched on, horror and awe on their faces. Clyde barely registered them. Token stared at him, like he was a puzzle he couldn't complete. There was no puzzle, Clyde was just Clyde. And Clyde was an idiot.

An eternity passed. The buzz around Clyde stopped - no one moved, no one spoke. This should not have been as terrifying as it was. The only thing he could hear was the thump of his heart and his blood rushing in his ears. He swallowed, his throat dry. He knew Token was just leaving him to stew, but that did not make Clyde ease up. Token finally smiled.

“Sure,” he nodded.

The world around him finally moved again, the chatter starting back up. At last, he could breathe again. Clyde tried to hide the relief that flooded his being. Instead, he smiled over, looking calm and cool.

“Cool.”

When it came to prom night, Clyde screamed the entire time he was getting ready. His poor father had to keep coming upstairs to make sure his son had not burned himself on hair straighteners again, or broken something. No, Clyde was screaming from nerves, and to get it out of his system. Even if Token was his best friend, he did not need to see Clyde as a mess. He couldn't help it - he was taking Token to prom.

Rather, Token was taking him - he had a nicer car - but the point remained. They were going together. Clyde didn't know if it was a date or a _date_ , but he wasn't going to ruin a good thing by asking. Instead, he was going to keep his dumb mouth shut for once.

Clyde made sure his hair was that perfect level of ‘I don't care’, combing his fingers through his hair, and double checking that his face was fine. He looked himself over in his suit, smoothing it out even though he had ironed it around five times already. He was so nervous that he thought he might die. After another screaming session into his pillow, he heard a car pull up. With a deep breath, he stowed away his anxiety, moving downstairs and putting on a confident attitude.

The doorbell rang, and Clyde's nerves spiked. It was just Token, his best friend of however many years. At the same time, it was _Token_ , his crush of too many years. He charged to the door before his dad could open it. He loved his dad, and he knew he would accept him no matter what, but he didn't want to answer questions he didn’t have answers to.

He put his hand on the door handle, and-- “Clyde?” his dad said behind him, and he froze. “Is that your date?”

Clyde looked between his dad and the door. Token would’ve heard him, whatever answer he gave. If he said no, it’s just Token, and Token thought it was a date, then Clyde might die. However, if Clyde said yes, and Token thought it was just a friend date, he would double die. His dad stared at him expectantly, and Clyde was sweating nervously.

“Open the door, Clyde. I’m sure she’s lovely.”

She. Haha. Of course. With a grimace and a vaguely apologetic look to his dad, Clyde finally opened the door, revealing Token. Token smiled brightly at Clyde, who returned the smile. He glanced back at his dad, who was adjusting his glasses in silence. Clyde bit his cheek, waiting for him to say something. Anything.

“Hm. Nice to see you, Token.” He was silent for a moment, before he finally put two and two together. “You two have fun tonight, be safe,” his dad nodded, about to turn away, but he stopped and looked back at the boys. “Wait a minute. Don’t leave just yet.”

Before Clyde could question it, his dad slipped into the other room. He and Token exchanged confused looks until his dad came back, phone in his hand. Clyde wanted to grab Token’s hand go, but he only grabbed Token’s hand, legs unable to move. He looked at Clyde, even more confused, but Clyde said nothing. Please don’t let this be happening.

“I wanna take at least one picture,” his dad said.

“Dad,” Clyde groaned, “please don’t.”

Please don’t, because he still didn’t know where Clyde stood in all this. But Token released Clyde’s hand, his arm was around his shoulders and leaning in. Clyde’s heart was pounding. He looked into the camera, trying to smile, but he must have looked awful. His dad looked at his phone and frowned.

“Clyde, can you smile this time?” his dad sighed.

“I was!” Clyde said, frowning.

Token squeezed him briefly, and Clyde felt his face heat up. He tugged on his collar, trying to ease up, even leaning into the embrace. Clyde loosened up, an arm around Token’s waist, and he smiled. The nerves did not disappear, only multiplied like cells in his being. He was going to die in Token’s arms - what a way to go.

“Are you paying attention?” Token asked, pulling Clyde out of his thoughts. Was he speaking? “Are you ready to go?”

“Uh-- yep, I’m ready,” Clyde laughed awkwardly, moving away from Token.

Girls are easy, but boys? That was a whole new unexplored territory. At least it was ‘just’ Token; Clyde would have been far more nervous if it was anyone else. He tried to smile as he got into the car, but it looked more like a grimace - he really could not smile. Token frowned at him.

“You look like I'm gonna eat you,” Token said.

“Wh-- me? Nah. Cool as a cucumber.”

He wasn't. Normally, no one would see through his nerves. Now he was even more on edge. He fiddled with his hands in his lap as Token started up the car. He wished he had just clarified that he wanted it as a date, but in front of his friends? No thanks. Not that Clyde's crush was a secret - to anyone who wasn’t Token, at least - but it didn't make it any easier. Plus, if Token said no, Clyde could play it off as a joke and have the others play along. Then excuse himself to cry for a little while.

Was Token even into guys? When he was 10, he claimed he liked girls, but that didn't mean _just_ girls. Clyde was overthinking his words, he knew that, but he wanted to be hopeful. As it was, Token was the resident straight guy, with the rest of them being some shade of gay. Funny how that worked.

They arrived at the school, which in the middle of the night was a very different experience. From the outside, Clyde could hear loud music, and the flash of lights through the open gym door. He wondered how long it would take for the punch bowl to be spiked - as soon as it was, he would be chugging that like water. Anything to soothe his nerves.

Some people were hiding in a little corner, taking a smoke break. Among them were obviously the goth kids - it was apparently nonconformist to turn up to prom just to smoke - but also Tweek and Craig were there. Not surprising; Tweek had switched from caffeine to cigarettes, which was the only thing keeping him calm in stressful situations. Tweek would be smoking all night, then. Clyde had suggested weed before, receiving a frown in response.

Clyde and Token made their way over to the pair just as they had finished their cigarettes. Clyde beamed at them, and Craig smiled over at the couple. Oh wait, no, they weren't a couple. They were out a pair. Duo. Two dudes turning up to prom together.

“Hey guys,” Clyde said. “No Jimmy?”

“Nah, he's inside already,” Craig said.

“I'll go let him know we're here,” Token said.

And with that, silence. Clyde always felt like a third wheel with Tweek and Craig - but then again, as did Token and Jimmy. Craig stubbed out his cigarette, before turning his attention to Clyde.

“How's the date going?” he asked.

“It's not a date. It's just two guys going to prom together,” Clyde insisted, but was met with unbelieving looks from both of them. Trust the gay guys to look at him like that. “My dad reacted pretty well. He made us take pictures together and I wanted to die.”

“And you actually took the pictures?” Craig asked.

“Yeah. Token even put his arm around me,” Clyde said.

Craig snorted, and Clyde felt a little pathetic. He put his hand on Clyde's shoulder, squeezing briefly.

“Don't be so nervous, okay? Don't overthink it like you probably are, and just treat him like you'd treat a girl. Obviously, he’s still a guy, but just be nice to him like you’d be nice to a girl. Otherwise you'll lose him.” Craig moved his hand away. “Shouldn't you be going after him, anyway?”

Clyde grimaced. “Right, yeah. I'll see you guys later.”

He broke off from the pair and ran into the school gym, currently being used for prom. Teens were awkwardly trying to dance on the makeshift dance floor, while some congregated by the punch bowl. One could smell the teenage hormones just by entering the room, and it was an odd feeling. Clyde scanned the room, before finally finding Jimmy and Token talking.

He slid into the conversation, standing at Token's side. Maybe he could just casually wrap his arm around his shoulders. It could be taken as friendly _or_ romantic. Token was distracted, and this was Clyde's chance. He draped his arm around his date’s shoulders, who paused briefly before carrying on his sentence. Feeling like a third wheel, Jimmy was quick to excuse himself.

Now it was just them, with Clyde's arm still around Token's shoulders. He should've moved, but if he did, he would've drawn attention to it. Token moved away from the embrace, holding his hand out to Clyde with a wide smile.

“Come dance with me,” he said.

Clyde didn't really dance sober, he was too cool for that. But there was something about the way Token was holding his hand out and something about that smile that was so inviting. His brain short circuited and, without thinking, Clyde took his hand and let himself be led to the dance floor.

The DJ was playing some upbeat pop song, with everyone around Clyde dancing along to the music. He was a little lost until Token started dancing, moving along to the beat. Clyde followed his lead, getting into the groove. He wasn't a bad dancer, and he was having a great time. No one was watching him, anyway. The song was ending, shifting into another song.

“Alright, now this next one is for the lovers!” the DJ cooed, trying too hard to relate to the kids.

The new song was something slower, softer. The whole room changed in an instant, a blissful stillness filling the room like mist. Token looked at Clyde, about to go. He needed to think quickly. Clyde grasped at the sleeves of Token tux, his fingers barely digging into the fabric. Take a damn chance, Clyde.

“Dance with me.”

His voice came out strangled, but he could blame that on having to yell over the music. Token looked stunned. His lips were parted, staring at Clyde, before he finally gave his answer.

“Okay.”

Clyde's hands were on shoulders, Token's hands on his waist, dancing the stiffest slow dance. They left plenty of room between them, both of them a little too awkward to close the gap. Leave room for Jesus, the chaperones said. They, however, had left enough room for Jesus and all his disciples.

Clyde was the one who took a step closer. They were now close enough for their chests to brush against each other, were they both to take a deep breath. Clyde kept his breaths slow yet shallow, looking literally anywhere else. He was glad it was dark in here, else Token would have seen how red Clyde was.

He glanced up at Token, and he too was looking elsewhere. Clyde wasn't the only embarrassed one, then. If this was a girl, this would have been the perfect time to be smooth, perhaps hold her face and kiss her. Yet even now, Clyde didn't know where the line was. He did want to hold Token's face, press a kiss to his lips. He had completely lost his nerve.

Token glanced over at Clyde, seemingly surprised to see Clyde staring at him. Crap. He turned his attention elsewhere, like the banner of balloons behind Token, or the couples eating each others faces in the background. A clammy hand touched his face, startling him, forcing him to look up at Token.

He had a soft look on his face, the low light reflecting nicely in his eyes. Clyde's breath was pushed from his lungs as he looked into his eyes. Token was so handsome, it wasn't even fair. Clyde hesitated before he pressed closer to Token, their chests finally touching. Surely Token felt the thump of his heart, but it he did, he didn't comment.

Token’s arms circled his waist, while Clyde’s moved to wrap around his shoulders. Clyde smiled at him, his stomach knotting up and gurgling. He couldn’t believe he was this nervous. Token smiled back, though his gaze flickered between Clyde’s eyes and his lips. Token’s face moved closer, and Clyde took the hint, closing his eyes and meeting him halfway.

His lips were rougher than anyone Clyde had kissed before, but it wasn’t unpleasant. He leaned into the kiss, the world around them completely fading. Clyde’s head was fuzzy, but he was on cloud nine. His feet weren’t touching the floor anymore, feeling like he was just dangling from Token’s neck. He probably was.

Token was the one to break the kiss, the smile still on his face. Clyde didn’t even know what to say. He was dumbfounded - that really happened. He and Token just kissed at prom. He was weak at the knees but he composed himself, acting like the most confident guy in the room. A guy who just kissed his best friend.

“Does this mean you’re finally gonna stop being weird about this and treat this like a date?” Token laughed.

Dammit, who blew his cover? Clyde looked around to glare at Craig, but he was nowhere to be seen. Clyde laughed, trying to play it off as a joke.

“I didn’t know what you thought it was,” Clyde said.

“I know you. If you wanted to take a girl, you’d have taken a girl. There’s a good reason you asked me without adding a ‘no homo’ at the end.”

Clyde felt utterly called out. He huffed, shrinking and looking away. Fine, maybe he was transparent. Token laughed, holding him close. Clyde closed his eyes, comfortable in the embrace.

The song ended, going back to a more upbeat song. As much fun as Clyde was having, there was one activity he would rather do more. Especially as it was prom night, and doubly so as he knew what this was.

“We could stay here, dance around some more,” he hummed, “or we could get out of here and kiss in the back of your car for a little while.”

“You move fast,” Token snorted. “Lead the way.”

Clyde pushed himself off Token, grabbing his hand and almost running back to the car. He barely even waited for Token to open the door before Clyde was on him. Patience was just not his strong suit.

**Author's Note:**

> I should be writing my actual fics. I will not. Have some Tyde instead.
> 
> Edited to say - I made a slight change to the ending!!
> 
> Follow me on [Tumblr](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com)!


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